Silk Smitha, item girl of South Indian films

The real name of the item dancer of Bollywood, Silk Smita, is Vijayalakshmi. Born on December 2, 1960, Silk died on September 23, 1996. Silk predominantly worked in South Indian language movies as an extra actress. Her role as the character titled ‘Silk’ got noticed in the 1979 Tamil movie ‘Vandichakkaram’ and she started being named after the character.

In the early 1980s Silk Smitha became the most sought-after erotic actress of the South Indian film industry. In 17 years of her acting career she had worked in about 450 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi languages. She apparently committed suicide in her Chennai apartment on September 23, 1996, aged 35 years old.

Silk Smitha Facts

Early Life of Silk Smitha

Real name is Vijayalakshmi.

Born on December 2, 1960 to the family of Ramallu and Sarasamma in Eluru in Andhra Pradesh

Left school after her fourth standard (At about 8 years of age)

She was very good looking. Because of with uninvited attention, her family married her off at a very young age.

Her husband and in-laws ill-treated her. She ran away to Madras (Chennai) to live with an aunt.

Film Career of Silk Smitha

Silk started as a touch-up artist for a D grade actress. She got break in a small character role.

She was discovered by actor and director Vinu Chakravarthy. He also renamed her Smitha and started grooming her for movies. His wife taught her English and they also helped her for dance training.

She debuted in a Malayalam movie ‘Inaye Thedi’

She played a role of a bar girl named ‘Silk’ in 1979 Tamil movie ‘Vandichakkaram’. After the success of the character Smitha also added Silk to her name.

Because of her sex appeal she is featured in roles of cabaret dancers and vamps

She became the ultimate symbol of sensuality. A vast majority of her movies were ‘softcore’ by Indian standards.

Her last movie, a Tamil movie ‘Subaash’, was released two days before her death.

Affairs of Silk Smitha

Silk Smitha had many lovers

Producers, directors and A-grade actors who were linked to her.

Director Velu Prabhakaran confessed that he had an intimate relationship with Silk Smitha and had cheated on his girlfriend for her.

Married director Vinu Chakravarthy, also had a secret relationship with Silk Smitha.

Death of Silk Smitha

Silk Smitha’s popularity began to wane by mid-1990s.

She had a live-in boyfriend who reportedly lured her into producing films.

Silk Smitha’s two home production movies had flopped and she was in a huge debt

She committed suicide in her Chennai apartment on September 23, 1996, aged 35 years old. She was found hanging by a rope from the ceiling fan of her bedroom at 11.30 a.m.

A post-mortem report on Silk Smitha revealed a large amount of bananas and chocolates in her stomach.

She had left a suicide note saying she was frustrated with repeated failures in her life.

Legacy of Silk Smitha

A 2011 biographical film titled ‘The Dirty Picture’ is made on the life of Silk Smitha’s life.

The Hindi language movie was produced by Ekta Kapoor and directed by Milan Luthria.

Vidya Balan was featured as Silk. She later won Best Actress award for the role.

The movie was released on Smitha’s birthday (on December 2, 2011).

Silk Smitha’s family claimed that the movie was made without her family’s consent. Ekata later told that the movie is not based on Silk Smitha’s life.

This is a part of What is an Item Number? series. In this series we are covering the history of item number in Bollywood. Silk Smitha falls in the second stage “Mujra and Item Numbers – 1970s to 1990s”. Visit the What is an Item Number? series page for details on the item girls of the three stages of item numbers: